ICAP Leopard returns in 2012 to defend monohull record set in 2008

ICAP Leopard during the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race

ICAP Leopard returns in 2012 to defend monohull record set in 2008

By Peta Stuart-Hunt, ISC Race Press Officer on 9 Feb30 June 2012ICAP Leopard during the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race © Ian Roman / www.ianroman.com

Ben Ainslie confirms he will race in this year's J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race

Slade & Co. are back

The property developer and internationally renowned yachtsman Mike Slade is returning to Cowes to compete in the 2012 J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, Britain's favourite yacht race, with his 100ft Super Maxi ICAP Leopard and in defence of his most recent and the current monohull record set in 2008 at a time of 3.53.05.

The team has broken the monohull record on four occasions, firstly in 1991 racing Ocean Leopard, aboard Hoya Longobarda in 1996 and then in 2001 aboard Leopard of London circumnavigating the island in 4.05.40. The usual stellar crew of former Olympic sailors and Volvo Ocean Race sailing talent are delighted to be returning to the Race and they have their sights firmly set on retaining or even beating their current monohull record.

Entries are piling in for this 81st running of the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race and we're delighted to report that, at the time of writing, we already have 265 entries processed.

Going for gold

Following on from the news that triple Olympic Gold medallist Ben Ainslie CBE will be competing in the 81st J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, several other race participants have highlighted their Olympic connections on their entry forms.

It can be very interesting to dig a little deeper beyond the sometimes quite random information added to entry forms that can end up revealing extraordinary facts about some fascinating individuals.

Take, for example, Paul Lavars from Christchurch, Dorset, the owner of Manhattan, a Bavaria Vision 44. He trained with the Olympic canoeing squad for the 1968 Olympics and with various family members are joined on board by Danny Dalrymple, 65, who has been to Base Camp Everest amongst other marathon feats. Paul and some of his older crew members are also planning to sail around Great Britain in 2014.

Charles Reynolds from the Port Owen in the Western Cape, South Africa, owns a Freedom 45 Freedom of Hamble, and competed in both the 1968 and 1972 Games in Dragons and Solings respectively. Charles was also part of the Hong Kong Admiral’s Cup Team in 1975. He has a long-standing commitment to this Race, having first entered in 1963.

Family values

Six members of the Bowyer family from Winchester, aged between 19 – 54 are racing on board Navicula, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42, and racing for the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Family Trophy in ISCRS with the aim of all still speaking to one another by the time they cross the finish line.

Gavin, the skipper, is an Orthopaedic surgeon working in Southampton and the name of his boat must surely relate to the navicular bone is one of the tarsal bones, found in the foot. Let's hope they don't end up stepping on each others toes!

New to the event?

Never fear, the Race website is packed full of useful guides and provides practical advice aplenty. Have a read through the First Timers' guide and the Layman's Guide to Racing Rules and your Race baptism won't feel nearly as daunting!

For 2012 the ISC has introduced a series of features in the new Knowledge Box, accessible from the home page. This series, covering ten topics, will run right up to Race day and the articles are being contributed by each of the Race Partners and there'll be one from Title sponsor J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Lots of practical advice here. So, have a look at the current piece from Race Partner Henri Lloyd and also archived is the first article in the series from Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

ISC Seminars focus on Race safety issues

The Island Sailing Club encourages you to attend one of two FREE Race seminars it is holding in March. The seminar content has been carefully tailored to be relevant to anyone doing the Race but will be especially useful to those of you entering the Race for the first time:
Saturday 17th March 2pm at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club
Saturday 24th March 6pm at the Royal Lymington yacht Club

Topics on the agenda include elements that are required for:
Entering the Race
Getting the paperwork sorted
Safety issues
Getting round the course
Technology

There will be a Q&A session following the seminars. The sessions are expected to last no more than two hours including the Q&A.

How you can fundraise for Charity

The Island Sailing Club is delighted to announce that following the success of last year’s Charity Challenge, Race Title sponsor, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, will again be running the initiative in 2012. There are two £1,000 charitable donations up for grabs and it’s hoped this will encourage many new charity fundraisers. Read all about it here.

Don't forget that as well as our website we also encourage you to LIKE our Facebook page and interact with us on Twitter. We plan to run a picture competition via our Facebook page shortly and you have be a Facebook friend in order to enter!

www.facebook.com/roundtheisland
www.twitter.com/roundtheisland

Animal magic

An appropriate tailpiece for this month has to be recognition for Round the Island Race first timer 'Jack Sparrow’ a dog rescued from a Greek Island in 2009 by Tim Carrington the owner of Lady H. With over 10,000 nautical miles notched up already, this 50-mile westabout course should prove to be little more than a walk in the park for Jack Sparrow!

Early bird entries close at midnight on February 25th.

www.roundtheisland.org.uk